Carpaccio

The second article from Hamish Moore – acknowledged as the premier small pipes bagpipe maker in Scotland now working in Barga as artist in residence 2008
I suppose the first week felt a bit raw.The initial stages of settling were mostly concerned with the practicalities of moving my personal belongings into my flat, and then the lathe, band saw and all my equipment into my studio. This involved a drive through the old town along Via de Mezzo with mm. precision accuracy required when negotiating a bit of a dog legged bend. All the electrical implications involved in setting up were also quite interesting and there were a few fuses blown (!).  I found where to go for my daily walk, where and when to eat, which are the shops that suit me best but the one thing which has so far eluded me – finding a bank that isn't charging a fortune in commission to change money. If there's anyone out there planning a trip to Scotland in the near future and wants some crisp brand new smakeroos I would willingly do a mutually beneficial exchange. 

Although I am privileged to have travelled extensively all my life (in fact : I think I was  born to be a traveller) and am well used to life on mainland Europe, and with  the world  becoming a smaller and ever shrinking place, things here are however very different in almost every way and I love that – vivo e rispettare la differenza. From the strength of the coffee, the ease with which a half litre of extremely good fresh young wine can be slipped away over a lunch, the unusual opening hours of the shops and banks, the driving, the contradiction of extreme informality of everyday life in one of the wee local bars sitting alongside painstakingly and painful bureaucracy are all colourful music to my senses. The best concerto of all however is that which I crave and have done so for so long at home (and the first person who takes the model from here and makes it work at home not any deserves a medal but will also find himself a very popular and wealthy person)  —-  that wonderful concept of really good  food for all people at a price that everyone can afford.  Good no nonsense locally produced food cooked beautifully and without pretentiousness and served for all seems to be a concept that we don't seem to have grasped  – anyway ! Maybe one day there will be a provider and that will then produce the demand. Isn't that how it works. ?

I am also finding that I need to get used to the Italian rhythm of life and I am sure that will take its own time; actually there are several rhythms but I think mostly the waltz when it comes to things which matter.

Then there's  the altitude (because we're at over 400 Meters) and although its not  a problem per se, it does make for a very different "feel to the place"  — and I have just worked out why the pipes are playing sharp and the reeds which I am making and should be playing in A are playing in Bb. Its the altitude. And the humidity – well : I just looked at a humidity meter yesterday and  its sitting at about 37%. There's extreme irony for you  — here's me been lecturing pipers in far flung dry climates of the world for years now on the perils of letting your pipes be exposed to a RH. of less than 40% and me wondering why my pipes aren't going very well ! So its the shower room from now on or la cucina after a boiling of tatties for my wee pipes (to breath some moist air) before playing on Friday night in my first public performance in Aristo's bar. It was saving energy awareness day in Italy and a candlelit and dynamo powered session had been organised to mark the day. (article here )

All of the above pales into insignificance compared with the absolute beauty of this old town. I have spent many hours wandering around it, first of all to become acquainted with the lay out of but also to marvel at the sites. I believe if you were to walk round for years there would still some gem in an aspect or view that hadn't previously be seen. My first working week saw me produce 4 chanters and some drone reeds. I had a wonderful first weekend and was shown warm and welcoming hospitality. The Sunday market in Barga was a lovely experience and I enjoyed watching an extremely skilled basket maker at work producing very fine baskets. I suppose my thoughts turned a wee bit to matters of accommodation. The apartment I am renting is fantastic but only available until the end of March which all of a sudden doesn't seem so far away. If I am to stay on in Barga I will absolutely have to find a place to live – slightly concerning – oh well – I am sure something will turn up. As my good friend and fellow artist Pete MacKenzie commented on barganews " I am sure some kind philanthropist will offer something" 

On my first full day I was given an official welcome by the Comune and presented with a beautiful book on Barga. There is I believe a tangible feeling of warmth on every level between this beautiful place and home. More of the reasons in later articles for the strong Scottish connections but they are there and to be experienced on a daily basis. There are aspects of home I'm missing. Anyone coming out to visit, please bring the current copy of The Sunday Herald.The political situation in Scotland is rivetingly interesting  and I love Iain MacWhirtar's column on a Sunday.

In the mean time

Molto Grazie per Tutto

Hamish Moore – 18th February 2008 – The first of his weekly articles can be seen here